The preferred shopping method for 29 percent of Estonians is scanning items with a handheld device and paying at a self-service checkout, according to a retail survey by Kantar Emor.

A quarter of respondents favor scanning and paying at self-checkouts, while 21 percent prefer shopping via mobile apps as their primary method.

"Younger people tend to prefer mobile apps, whereas Estonians aged 50 and above still largely favor staffed checkouts. There's also a gender difference: men most frequently choose staffed checkouts as their preferred method, while women are least likely to select this option," said Kaisa Esko, a research expert at Kantar Emor.

Esko added that the reasons for choosing various payment and scanning methods vary by individual preferences. "It depends on what people prioritize – speed, confidence, interaction or cleanliness. Some prefer mobile apps over shared handheld devices due to hygiene. Preferences also differ across retail chains, depending on the convenience and reliability of each store's systems," Esko explained.

Those who prefer handheld scanners cite avoiding interaction and the speed and convenience of skipping queues as their primary reasons.

On the other hand, paying at a staffed checkout appeals to those who find it simple, familiar and enjoy the opportunity for interaction.

Some people believe that self-service systems have yet to reach full maturity.

The Estonian retail monitoring survey was conducted from September 12 to September 19 and included 1,015 Estonian residents aged 16 to 74.

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